Tiger Eyes
by SBeth09
Summary: Tiger never thought she'd see him again and if she did, she was going to kill him. But she didn't expect Snake Eyes to find her.  crummy summary I know...it's good, trust me. rated T for some creepy details.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So I got the idea for this last night and pretty much finished today between my classes. So if you guys like it and review I'll post more, if not...well then this will just be an awesome story I'm proud of that will stay in my files 3

Oh and it's rated M just in case.

* * *

Sky stood on the top of the old building watching her target moving from the black vehicle towards the building she stood on. He was older, in his mid 40's, and had a certain marking on the breast of his jacket. This was the biggest assignment she had ever been giving and failure to complete it would mean death for not only her target but for her as well. As he entered the building she began to wait.

She waited 4 hours and then her patience was rewarded as the door opened and her target emerged from the building. She acted fast. She had to.

As she leveled the sniper rifle up to her eyes and aimed it at the heart of her target, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she spun around just in time to narrowly miss her assailant's chest. He was dressed completely in black and she couldn't even see his eyes, but his stance was so familiar to her.

Breaking from her thoughts she backed up and jumped off the rooftop, landing on her feet 2 stories below. Then she was surrounded by 5 other people before the black figure landing inches in front of her. She kicked out and again narrowly missed but then was rewarded by a fast kick to her side. Rolling with the sudden pain she dived away from another one. Their various exchanges went on for minutes before the black man landed a punch to her left shoulder. Old pain and old memories flooded her vision and she was momentarily stunned. That was all he needed. He tackled her to the ground and pinned her underneath him. It was only then that he looked into her bright green eyes and hesitated.

She had been sitting meditating in the holding room for hours already and she was beginning to get irritated. They had brought her some food and water but she hadn't touched it; a lesson she had learned at age 7. She only assumed that the General was talking with the A-Team, trying to decide what to do with her.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the thick pleaksey glass door slid open. Sky didn't need to open her eyes to know who stood there.

"Hello Snake, it's been a long time."

The tall man, all dressed in black, stood there with his arms over his chest and stared at her. He couldn't believe his eyes, or the DNA test that had just been confirmed. The beautiful young woman with long wavy brown hair that sat in front of him was not the small little girl he remembered. They had trained together at the temple. Had both been orphans. She had only been 6 years old when their master had been killed and he had left. She had changed.

She smiled, knowing what he was thinking. She always did. "Everyone changes Snake, especially after 14 years. I'm not the one that left." She added, anger and hurt mixing with her cool tone.

He stared at her, she had surprised him. He hadn't expected her to be angry with him, but then again, he should have. He took a step towards her and signed, _What happened to you?_

She chuckled, it was a dark sound. "You left." Every ounce of her anger and hurt from the past 14 years was in those two words and it cut into Snake's heart like a knife. But she wasn't done, all of the anger that had built up over the course of 14 years was suddenly unleashed. Even though she didn't leave her spot on the cot, Snake could feel how hurt and angry she was. "You left me. When I needed you most, you left! I was 6 years old Snake, you were closest thing I had to family and YOU LEFT!"

The door opened again and a young woman with flame red hair stepped in, "The General wants to see her, Snake." She eyed Sky, not knowing what to think of the young girl yet, having just heard her yelling through the door. Snake however nodded and left the room, expecting Sky to follow him. She always had. But things were different now.

Scarlet slowly sighed, "Come on."

With a glare in Scarlet's general direction, Sky stood up off the small cot and walked out of her holding cell.

"So you work for the Order of Assassins then?" said the General, still trying to gage Snake's mood as he stood against the wall in an unnatural stiffness.

Sky shrugged, a street shrug, "I was taken by them when I was 6. So sure, if you call being forced to work for them working for them."

General Hawk shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Why did they take a small girl from a temple?"

She shrugged again, "What does it matter? It's all done and over with now, nothing will change it…The temple was in complete uproar after what Storm Shadow did, when the Order showed up to gather new recruits while they could, a tiny 6 year old girl would could bring a grown man to his knees sounded like a good target."

Scarlet shook her head from behind Sky's chair, "That doesn't make any sense."

Sky raised a brow and glanced at her, "You wouldn't make a good assassin. It makes perfect sense to me."

Hawk nodded, "Take a child who can hold her own and train her to be a ruthless killer. Not too bad of a plan."

Sky shrugged again, still trying to ignore the feeling of Snake's eyes burning into her back.

"The question now, however, is what to do with you. You have two choices, Tiger."

Sky's eyes shot up at the sound of her name she was given when she was sent to the Temple at age 3, "How do you know that name?"

Hawk shifted a glance at Snake before looking back at Sky, or Tiger rather. "You can go to jail, maximum prison, for the rest of your life…or you can stay here. Become a Joe."

That wasn't what she had been expecting, "What?"

"Doesn't sound like much of a choice to me." Said Scarlet from behind.

Tiger glanced at her hands sitting in her lap, the situation was suddenly out of her hands. "You would keep me. Here. When I tried to kill you?"

Hawk smiled, "You tried, didn't. I think even you are much smarter than to try to do that here. What's your decision?"

She glanced at Snake, "What will I have to do?"

Hawk shrugged, "Train, learn to trust your team mates so they can trust you as well, you're very talented so perhaps teach down the line."

She nodded, looking at her hands again, gods why was she suddenly acting so weak? "What about Snake?"

Hawk glanced at Snake and back at Tiger, "He'll be your new master. You'll train with him, listen to him and for the time being live in his quarters."

Tiger nodded again, playing with the hem of her black sleeve, "You know I could just go to jail and escape the next day."

Hawk nodded, "And what would happen once the Order caught up with you?"

She looked right at him, all of the pain evident in her green eyes, "They'd kill me." With another sigh escaping her lips she nodded, "Okay…fine. I'll stay."

She was shocked that the members of A-Team were treating her nicely, albeit a bit carefully. It had been almost an entire day since Hawk had given her a choice. Duke and Ripcord were, at the moment, losing to Tiger at a game on Xbox. It turned out that just because she had never played the game before, being trained as an assassin was beneficial.

"How. Is. That. Possible!" yelled Ripcord after being killed by Tiger for the fifth time in a row.

She laughed, it was surprisingly soft, "Because I rock way more than you do."

Duke laughed and punched Ripcord's shoulder, "She's got you beat, man."

Scarlet came up behind the couch and smiled, "You're not bad, Tiger. Ripcord might just have to pick his ego up off the floor now." He glared at her before grabbing her and pulling her into his lap, making the redhead laugh even more.

Tiger smiled at them for a minute before turning her head to the door, feeling Snake standing there watching her. She sighed as his body language told her that he wanted to talk to her and she pulled herself off the couch and walked over to him. Without a word he turned his back on her and walked over to the small training room that sat off A-Team's apartment.

He didn't say, or sign, anything as he sat down on the mat and signaled for her to sit down in front of him. She obeyed, although tentatively, and sat down Indian style with her hands resting on her knees. She knew that his eyes were closed and that he was making a simple meditation session into an exercise. He wanted her to close her eyes and trust him. She didn't know if she could. Not simply because of what their past was, although that was a reason, but also because any time the trainer at the Order told her to close her eyes it was usually followed by pain.

Minutes pasted and she still hadn't closed her eyes, although her breathing that had quickened at the thought was beginning to slow. She couldn't believe that he was just sitting there. His katanas not even present in the sheaths on his back. He trusted that she wouldn't hurt him. Two days ago she would've, without a second thought. Now, after becoming a part of the Joes and the way they treated her, and Snake showing how vulnerable he was to her? She couldn't do it.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly closed her eyes. And time disappeared. She no longer knew how long they had been sitting there, only knew that Snake's presences was calming and not alarming like she thought it would be. He had always been the one person who could calm her when she was 6, seemed like some things never changed.

When his gloved hand gently touched her cheek, her eyes opened quickly and looked into his mask, knowing that those gorgeous blue eyes were looking at her.

_Well done_ he signed to her after his hand left her cheek.

She slowly nodded her head before releasing the breath she had been holding since his hand had touched her. Well damn, things suddenly got even more complicated.

He rose from his spot on the mat and offered a hand to help her up. She looked at it for a second before accepting it, noting the strength that coursed down his arm and into her. They left the training room together and headed for the canteen where the rest of the team was eating dinner.

As the two ninjas approached, Ripcord smiled, "Well well, look who finally decided to join us! Hungry Tiger?"

She smiled as she sat down, "Actually, yeah just a bit."

Duke, leaning over her, set a tray a food down in front of her, filled to the brim. "We didn't know what you liked but we thought you'd be hungry."

She smiled and before she could say anything, Snake took the bunch of strawberries off the tray and tossed them into the garbage. Before Rip or Duke could say anything, Tiger smiled, "I'm allergic to strawberries."

Tiger had been dreading this all day. The sun had set almost 4 hours ago and she was still sitting in the living room, everyone else had already gone to bed. She didn't know what to do. She hadn't shared a room with anyone in almost 10 years, let alone Snake. Yeah sure Snake had his own apartment and plenty of room, she had her own bed and dresser and nightstand in there now, but it was the point. The last time she and Snake had shared a room she was only 6 and he was 12, plus there were at least seven other kids in the room too.

A noise behind the couch made her turn her head. Snake stood in the doorway to his, their, apartment. He wasn't wearing his black bodysuit or his mask, only sweat pants and a black beater, his bare arms were folded over his chest.

Damn all the gods, but Tiger caught her breath. She had seen Snake as a 12 year old kid with enough muscles to scare a grown man, but this Snake was totally different. His arms were all muscles and huge, not in a weird way, but big. His chest was perfectly sculpted under the tank top and when she look up to his face she looked into his blue eyes for the first time in 14 years. They still captivated her.

She stood up and walked over to him, following him into their apartment before he shut the door behind them. She turned and look at him, not surprised to find him looking at her with a small smirk on his lips. _Why so surprised?_ He signed to her with a chuckle.

She shook her head, no words escaping her lips as she gently placed a hand onto his face, tracing the scar that went across his left cheek. She looked into his eyes and a smile crept up onto her lips before she could stop it, "You haven't changed at all."

He chuckled, actually chuckled, and the sound brought happy memories to Tiger's mind. Without any warning, Snake placed a gently kiss to her forehead before walking past her and getting into his bed. Leaving her standing there until she got control of her thoughts enough to go shower and get into her own bed.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well I'm on spring break this week so I've uploaded everything I have and will add the final chapter as soon as I write it...haha. Enjoy! and reviews are welcome!

ps. it's not edited, so sorry for errors :/

* * *

She woke up screaming. Not surprising and all her fault. She hardly sleeps for this specific reason but the past few days had exhausted her so she had gone to bed when Snake had. But those nightmares that never leave her alone came back with a vengeance.

She wrapped her arms around her knees, trying to calm her breathing and the tears that had escaped during sleep. A gentle hand touched her back and she jumped in response.

Snake-Eyes put his hands up in a "I'm not going to hurt you" gesture before slowly putting his hand back on her shaking back. She just shook her head, tried to push his hand off before he sat down beside her and pulled her against his chest. Instead of being the strong killer that she had been trained, tortured, to be, she melted into his warm body and cried. She hadn't let herself cry like she was now in years, maybe it was because she becoming soft or maybe it was simply because somebody was holding her that actually cared, whatever it was she didn't care. She just didn't want him to let go.

He didn't. Not for over a half hour until her body was relaxed against his and her breathing was normal again. Slowly, he held her away from him so he could look at her face and gently brush the few remaining tears off her red cheeks.

Suddenly embarrassed she shrugged off his hand, "I'm sorry..." she began was interrupted when his eyes seemed to turn darker. He looked directly into her eyes when he said, _Never, never apologize for showing feeling. You are not weak for crying, Arianna._

At the sight of her birth name, one that only Snake had ever called her, she looked up at him like she always had with love, respect and honor. His hands held her face between them and he gently shook her to make his point known. She nodded, as much as she could with his hands holding her face, and he slowly nodded back. With a gently kiss to her head he went in the bathroom and she could hear water running.

* * *

"You alright, Tiger? You seem distracted today." Asked Breaker as he watched her trying to connect a circuit board.

She growled her frustration and pushed the piece of technology away from her before she broke it in two. "I'm fine Breaker."

He raised a brow but took the circuit board off the table, "Well, okay, but how about we call it a day today, eh?"

She nodded and without another word left Breaker trying to figure out what was up and headed for the Pit's floor where she knew Snake was busy teaching. She stood on one of the platform walkways and watched as Snake trained some Joes. His movements were so clear and precise, of course they always had been, even when he was only a kid himself. She began to remember a time when a student was picking on her for carrying a teddy bear with her everywhere and Snake had almost broken his arm. Got in trouble afterwards too, she remembered with a chuckle, but no one ever messed with her after that. Too bad he hadn't been there when she had really needed him.

* * *

"You okay?"

Tiger looked up at Scarlet's voice and nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Scarlet leaned on the railing beside her, "Breaker said you seemed distracted this morning. I have to agree, you do seem to be preoccupied with something."

Tiger shrugged, "I just didn't sleep well…"

"Weird having Snake in the same room?" ventured Scarlet.

Tiger shook her head, "No, actually at first his presence was probably the only reason why I slept for so long…I just had a nightmare. Always do when I sleep too long."

Scarlet nodded her head, seeming to understand what Tiger was saying, even though she didn't really know from experience. "Snake was there when you woke up." It wasn't a question.

Despite her confused mood, Tiger smiled, "Yeah, he was. I used to have nightmares a lot when I was little and he was always there to wake me up when I started tossing and turning in my bed…my nightmares have gotten steadily worse since I was 6 though."

Scarlet nodded, "Maybe you need to talk to him about them, I know talking about nightmares can make them go away."

Tiger chuckled, "No offense Scar, but these nightmares won't leave me that easily. They came from reality, not my dreams."

Scarlet didn't know what to say but luckily she didn't have to. Snake had seen Tiger watching and signaled her to come down to the floor. Without much thought, Tiger hoped over the railing and landed softly on her feet below, earning a few whistles form nearby Joes.

She walked over to where Snake stood and took the electro-shock baton form his outstretched hand. Without any warning he came at her with another one and their dance began. Neither of them took a hit for at least 10 minutes, their session lasting longer than most. They were an equal match, it didn't matter that Tiger was only 5'4" and Snake was nearly 6'3" or that she was only 21 years old and he was 26, it took them both a lot of work to finally get one hit to each other. Tiger's hit only landed on Snake's arm, to her dismay his was much more precise and hit her square in the stomach, causing her breath to leave her and for her vision to dazzle for just a second too long. Before she knew it, she was once again pinned to the ground with his weight holding her down.

She heard the cheers and claps and could feel his chuckle against her before he stood up and pulled her with him. "Lucky shot." She mumbled before tossing the baton over to a waiting Heavy Duty.

"Well looks like you can handle your own, Tiger. I need to see you both, along with the rest of your team, in my office." Said Hawk as he walked away from the circle.

By the time Tiger, Heavy Duty and Snake Eyes got to the conference room, the other were already there and waiting. Hawk stood in the front of the long table and sighed before beginning. "Now before I give you guys this assignment, I need to warn you; it's not going to be easy and Tiger, " he said as he looked at her, "I think you're ready to do this but tell me if you're not." He waited until she nodded her head before he continued. "We've gotten a tip that the Order of Assassins has agreed to take out the President of France, and it's been handed to the Joes to take them out before they can complete their mission. I'm sending you guys out in 2 days to take them out, we've gotten a clue as to where they are and we're going to hit them and hit them hard."

Tiger could feel the other's eyes on her and could feel Snake's tension as his he stood beside her. "General, with all due respect, I don't think I'll _ever_ be ready, but if my team is going then so am I."

Hawk smiled at the strength and her pride that melted into the tone of her voice, "Then Snake, get her ready to go with you all. I don't want anything going wrong."

Snake nodded before they were all dismissed to begin preparing.


	3. Chapter 3

A?N: Okay so I'm doing something a bit different with Snake for here on out, it goes against his "biography" and injuries but it's how I see him in my head. I hope you like it but if not...oh well (:

* * *

Snake stood on the edge of the mat as he watched Tiger meditate, he was sure that she knew that he was there but he didn't want to disturb her. He suspected that she was having an inner battle with the prospect of going up against the Order and he wasn't sure how she needed him; but he would be there for her when she did.

A few more minutes pasted before a sigh escaped Tiger's lips and her body hunched over as she look over at Snake. He hadn't seen her look so defeated since she got to the Pit. Slowly, not making any sudden movements, he walked over to her and sat down in front of her. She looked into his masked face for the strength that she needed. He reached for one of her hands and took it firmly into his own, holding it tight and not letting go. She understood the meaning and a small smile appeared on her face, "Thank You."

He smiled beneath his mask, _You never have to thank me. I'm only doing what I promised to do all those years ago._

She nodded before closing her eyes again, not taking her hand out of his.

* * *

That night, before going to sleep, Snake asked Tiger to sit on the floor in their apartment for a bit. She was unsure, but even just 2 days at the Pit knew that he wouldn't do anything. She sat down and watched his fluid movements as his hands signed to her. _Scarlet and Breaker are both worried. They said you were distracted today._

Tiger shrugged, letting her gaze drift from his scared face to the floor below her. Snake didn't bother her for a few minutes and knowing that she wasn't going to be allowed to get up until she talked to him, she sighed. "I just…I don't usually sleep, Snake. Ever. Last night was the first sleep I've gotten in probably a few weeks…I take pills to keep me awake…to keep the nightmares away…"

He touched her then, gently, on the knee. _It's not healthy for you to not sleep, Arianna._

She sighed, "I know that, I have dark circles under my eyes to prove it. I just can't sleep…I don't even know why I fell asleep last night…" she glanced up at his face and rolled her eyes, "No, never mind I do know…because you were there…gods I need to grow up…"

Snake chuckled, _Arianna, I believe you are one of the most grown up and strongest young women I know. Having nightmares and being afraid to sleep is nothing to be ashamed of._

She raised a brow, "Maybe to you it's not. If I woke up screaming at the Order I probably would've been whipped or held in a tub of cold water or something…"

She could _feel_ his anger. She looked up then and saw his calm blue eyes looking very lethal. Knowing that the anger wasn't directed at her, she placed a hand on his, "Hey, relax. Nothing you can do about everything I've been through. Don't stress yourself about it."

He shook his head, _You needed me and I wasn't there._ He sure hit home.

She sighed before using a few choice words, "Yeah, I did need you. I needed you more over the past 14 years then I ever did at the temple. But not having you made me grow and learn, yeah maybe in a really shitty way and yeah I have scars both physically and mentally, but I grew. Don't blame yourself."

_You do._

She looked away from him for a second, "I did. I…don't anymore." She chuckled before continuing, "I wanted to kill you the moment I realized it was you pinning me to the ground but I wouldn't be able to draw an ounce of your blood now. Is it those gorgeous blue eyes that I always loved that are keeping me from killing you now? Who knows and I don't care….I missed you."

Her words weren't what Snake had been expecting and it showed on his shocked face. It only took him amount before recovering and gently touching her cheek. His eyes pierced her but in the best way possible. He placed a soft kiss to her forehead, "I missed you."

She pulled back from his hand and stared at him, her eyes wide. He smiled at her and stood up, taking her up with him. 14 years of silence had been broken in 3 words for the one person that deserved to hear his voice the most. She was still staring at him in shock once she was standing and didn't know what to say. He just smiled before his hand gently touched her cheek, but this touch was different than the others had been, there was much more feeling in this touch. Before Tiger knew what he was doing, he placed his lips against hers in a soft and protective embrace. His hand held her face next to his, her hands slowly found their way onto his chest. The kiss didn't last that long, but it didn't have to. It meant more to both of them than anything.

When he released her face, he smiled down at her, seeing a sparkle in her eyes that he hadn't seen in many years. He kissed her forehead again before signing, _Now go get those pills._

She glared at him and crossed her arms, "You jerk. Trying to bring my wall down so you can take away my sleeping pills."

He chuckled, _You don't need them anymore. I'll find them either way._ He added when she still didn't move. With another sigh and walked over to her bed and pulled her duffle bag out from underneath it. Finding the pill bottle at the bottom she tossed it over to him before pushing her bag back under the bed. "There. Happy?" she couldn't make her voice sound as irritated as she wanted. Damn kiss.

He put the bottle in the draw of his nightstand and then turned back to her, _Leave them there._

She rolled her eyes, her arms again folded over her chest, "And what am I suppose to do now? Have nightmares all night long?" the fear she was trying to keep at bay could be heard in her voice.

Snake's smile softened and his arms wound themselves around her, his chin resting on her head, "I'll keep the nightmares away."

She couldn't help but smile against his chest, "What about your oath?"

She could feel him shrug, "Our master would be proud of you."

Tiger kind of doubted that, but when Snake pulled her onto his bed and wrapped her in his protective arms again, she forgot all about it and fell quickly asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day came all to quickly in Tiger's opinion, apparently suddenly sleeping for a full 7 hours was enough for her system realize how much she needed sleep. When Snake kissed her forehead to wake her up, she could already hear the shower going and could smell food.

Sitting up in his bed she say a tray of food sitting on the foot of the bed and smiled, "You got me breakfast?"

He smiled before heading into the bathroom to shower. As the bathroom door closed, but didn't latch, behind him, Tiger pulled the tray of food closer to her and ate her breakfast. She glanced at the door a few times, debating whether or not to go give him another shock and walk into the bathroom while he was in the shower, but decided against it. That would mean taking her own shirt off and showing scars that she wasn't yet ready to show. Instead, she decided to get changed and head into the training room to warm up for the sparring session that she and Snake were going to have.

* * *

She was standing in the training room off the A-Team's apartment wearing a tank top, something she seldom did, and got reminded why she didn't. When she was just about to do a steady round-house kick, someone grabbed her right wrist, holding just tight enough to send an "I'm not happy" message her way. She turned and looked into the masked face of Snake-Eyes and even with the black covering his facial features, she could feel the piercing blue eyes staring at her.

He was looking at the ancient runes carved into her skin. She tried to pull her wrist out of his grasp but couldn't, sighing she said, "Snake they're old. From when I was like 14." His grip didn't loosen, but he did pull her out of the training room and into their apartment, the rest of the team watching as he did.

"Um, should we be concerned? They didn't look very happy." Said Ripcord as he stood up from some weights.

Scarlet shook her head carefully, "Leave them for now…I'm sure we'll find out what's gotten Snake so upset."

When the door closed behind them, Snake took his mask off and suddenly Tiger wished he would put it back on. His eyes had literally turned to an ice blue.

Knowing what he would say, she tried to keep him from asking. "Snake it's…"

_Who did that to you?_ He interrupted and she bit her lip, damn it she didn't want to answer that question. "It doesn't matter Snake, it's not like you could hurt the person who did it."

He was only inches away from her, his body was far to tense, _Why not?_

She took a step back. Never, in all her years of training had she _ever_ taken a step away from an opponent, but Snake wasn't an opponent. She crossed her arms, holding them close to her chest before answering. "You can't hurt the person because the person is me…I did it to myself."

That obviously hadn't been what he was expecting, but whatever he had been expecting didn't matter once her words really sunk in. It took him one step to reach her and his face was inches from her own, _YOU did this to yourself? Why! Did they make you?_

She tried to back up but he wouldn't let her, shaking her head she said, "No, they didn't make me Snake. I was studying Ancient Runes when I was younger and I was bored so…so I carved the symbols for Strength, Honor, Stamina, Stealth and Speed into my arms…"

Okay, so maybe saying that she had done it because she was bored was not the right thing to say. His grip, having returned to her wrist, told her that much. _You. Were. Bored. _he signed with one hand.

She slowly cringed, "Sounds bad when you say it like that…"

He made a very irritated and exasperated sound before putting his mask back on and pulling her out of the apartment and down the hall. A shocked Scarlet and Ripcord deciding to follow. Once she realized where he was pulling her too, Tiger put her feet firmly on the ground and pulled Snake to a stop. "Snake, you're being ridiculous. I don't need to go and see Doc. There isn't anything he can do!"

No arguing made any difference, Snake just walked into the infirmary without her to find Doc while Scarlet and Ripcord walked up behind her.

"What's his problem?" asked Rip as he stood beside Tiger, peering into the infirmary.

Tiger self-consciously tried to hid her arms, but with no sleeves it was very hard, "He's mad at me. Well no, he's more disappointed in me…haven't decided which is worst yet."

Rip opened his mouth to say something and then saw the old scars on Tiger's arms and his mouth quickly closed again, a quick glance at Scarlet and they both pushed Tiger into the infirmary.

She spun around to snap at them when Snake and Doc came walking over from a back room, "So you're Tiger, huh? I meant to get you in here yesterday to get your stats and a physical but according to Snake Eyes you need to be checked out now."

Tiger slowly turned around and glared at Snake, knowing that he was glaring right back, "I do NOT need to be checked out. I'm perfectly fine."

Doc nodded his head, "You're fit that's for sure, but according to General Hawk and Snake you don't sleep well and Snake is…mildy…concerned about the state of your arms."

She raised a brow, "Mildly? Yeah right. Look Doc, there isn't anything you can do for my arms and it's not that big of a deal, they're like 5 years old!"

Shrugging his shoulders he pointed towards a back room, "Well then you should have no problem with a quick physical and a little blood drawn."

She had a very big problem with that. "Um, am I allowed to say hell no?"

Doc chuckled before directing her towards the back room where Snake was standing, "No."


	5. Chapter 5

They had taken some blood first since Tiger was so against taking her clothes off. And it had nothing to do with the fact that Doc was a guy and that Snake was standing watchfully close by.

"Okay Tiger." Said Doc as he came back in the small room from putting her blood sample in the fridge.

She crossed her arms, "Seriously, is there no way to get out of this?"

He didn't chuckle this time, he was beginning to worry about why she was so nervous to take her clothes off. "No Tiger, I'm sorry. There isn't. Would you like Scarlet to come in here?"

She snorted, "No thank you, I don't need anyone else seeing anything…." With a deep breath she glanced at Snake, "You might want to leave."

His stance told her not a chance in hell.

She shrugged, "Don't be too shocked then." She said as she turned her back toward both of the men and pulled her tank top over her head. She heard Doc's intake of breath and _felt_ Snake's anger level rise. Across her back were layers and layers of scares, whip marks from punishments when she was younger. The most recent being when she was 16 and she almost died from them. Doc was tacketful and gently ran a hand over the scars, Tiger didn't even flinch.

"Explain." It wasn't the word she had been expecting, but it was probably all he could say through his clenched teeth.

She shrugged, a street shrug that said life sucks, "It was a punishment."

"All of it?" his voice was alarmed.

Tiger shook her head, "Not all at once…except the last time."

He handed her a towel to cover up her front before turning her around by her shoulders, "What time was that, Tiger?"

She knew he would ask, she had been dreading the question the whole time she had been stuck in the damn room. She didn't look at Snake. "I was 16. It was my first big assignment and I failed…." She shook her head, remembering her stupidity, "I was suppose to kill the son a rich man…he was only 12, just a kid…I couldn't do it…so they gave me 40 lashes. They said if I survived that then I was worth keeping around…" She couldn't look at Snake but she could feel every ounce of fury rolling of his body in waves.

"40, Tiger? How did you survive that?" said Doc, his eyes full of concern and pity.

She shrugged, "I almost didn't…I was stuck in bed for weeks with a fever…they didn't even force me to train, they just left me there to die if I wanted to. But I wasn't going to give them that satisfaction."

Doc slowly nodded and placed a comforting hand on Tiger's shoulder, "I need to document the marks on your body, I have to put them in records."

Tiger nodded, she knew he'd say that, he would have to. "Then you're going to want to look at my legs to."

He raised an eye brow in horror, "More lashes?"

Tiger shook her head, "No, well a few on my claves but no…more runes."

That was all it took. Snake had been fuming in the corner for over 10 minutes and hearing that she had carved runes not only into her arms but her legs as well was enough to send even the heavily trained ninja out of the room. The door shut behind him with a loud bang.

She cringed as the noise from the door found her ears and sighed. Doc patted her shoulder comfortingly, "I'm going to go get Scarlet."

* * *

When Doc finally let her out of the infirmary, with Scarlet beside her, all Tiger cared about was finding Snake. She found him on the Pit floor training some Joes. Without any thought, since it didn't take any, she ran down to the floor. Everyone had noticed but didn't seem to think it was anything to worry about; Snake was training with a new intensity and it was beginning to get too rough. His current opponent was already on the ground when Snake raised his baton arm to hit him again. Tiger got there first.

She stood right in Snake's way and if it had been anyone else they would've hit her right in the chest, but Snake's quick reflexes stop the baton centimeters from her body. Their eyes locked, hers a bright green and his masked one, for a moment before he dropped the baton to the ground. Tiger took his hand in hers and pulled him away from the circle, "Training over!" she yelled over her shoulder.

Scarlet met them at the door to their apartment, "I told everyone to stay out."

Tiger nodded her thanks and pulled Snake into the A-Team apartment and into the living room. "Sit." She told him and was actually surprised when he obeyed and sat on the couch. She sat down beside him and gently placed a hand on his knee, "Snake, I don't blame you for getting so upset and you better not hate yourself for it either, but nothing is going to change what I've been through. The past is the past and nothing is going to change that. Please, please don't beat yourself up about it. I'm here, right beside you, and I'm alive and fine. That's all that matters."

She waited a few minutes and when his body tension finally began to relax she moved closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder, "I'll tell you everything you want to hear, Snake. IF you promise not to almost hurt or kill anyone."

His chuckle was reward enough and when his arms encircled her with their warmth and love, she was okay.

* * *

By dinner time that day, Hawk had already called in the rest of A-Team, with Tiger's consent, into his office to inform them and show them about their team mate's rough past. He thought that they all needed and deserved to know what they were going up against and even though Tiger was nervous about the rest of her team knowing, she had agreed.

When she and Snake walked over to the table in the canteen at dinner, she was met with only pitiful looks. She would have preferred hugs. "Okay looks guys, do I need to sit you all down and have a talk like I did to Snake?" There were a few chuckled at that statement.

"We just don't know what to say." Said Scarlet.

Tiger shrugged, "There isn't anything you can say that would make it better or worse, so just say how you feel."

Duke nodded his head, "Okay, so saying I want to rip every single one of those Order people limb from limb would be okay?"

Tiger smiled, "Yeah Duke, that would be fine."

He nodded his head again and she could see tension in his jaw line. With a sigh she added, "You guys, all of you, have to let this go. I know, call me crazy if you want to, but tomorrow we're going up against the toughest force aside from Cobra and you all have to focus. I can take care of myself, I don't need all of you worried about me the whole time. Everything that happened in the past made me into who I am and nothing any of you can do will change what I've been through. So drop it. Now."

Ripcord nodded his head and glanced at Heavy Duty who nodded his head as well, "So does that mean we can yell at you for carving into your _own skin_." Said Ripcord.

Tiger glared at him and set her fork down, looking at Snake and seeing his body tense ever so slightly, "Thanks! Thanks Rip, I JUST got him to chill out!"

Ripcord shrugged, seemingly satisfied with his actions and began to eat his burger. Tiger's eyes narrowed before she tossed a French fry into his face. He slowly looked up at her, "Oh girl, you just started a long long battle."

She chuckled, "Bring it."

Needless to say, Tiger and Ripcord were cleaning up the table after dinner.


	6. Chapter 6

It was only 5am and the A-Team was already flying over India. Tiger had woken Snake up since she had never fallen asleep, something he had made clear he wasn't very happy about, but given the days assignment he wasn't exactly surprised.

As they began to near their destination of Japan, Tiger became very restless and was at the moment pacing the length of the chopper.

"Tiger, you're going to fall on your face if we hit a thermal." Said Duke as he sat cleaning his rifle.

Tiger rolled her eyes, "You'd be more likely to fall off a building then me fall from a little turbulence."

Duke pointed at her, "Don't jinx me, I've come close enough."

Tiger rolled her eyes before continuing her movement. It lasted another 10 minutes before Snake snatched her as she passed him and pulled her onto the bench beside him. "I can't sit still, Snake. I'm feel like my insides are going to burst." He placed a comforting hand on her cheek and put their foreheads together, "Everything will be fine." It was so soft and muffled through the mask that no one heard it except Tiger. Slowing taking a deep breath she nodded before leaning into Snake's shoulder.

Another 20 minutes passed and the chopper began its decent into the dense forest somewhere on the island. Once everyone was out with their equipment, Heavy Duty activated the camouflage on the chopper and Tiger watched it vanish from sight. "You know that won't fool them for long if they walk close by here."

Heavy Duty shrugged, "Doesn't have to fool them for long."

With a shrug she followed him into the trees where the others were waiting for them. Snake put a hand on her shoulder as soon as she was close enough and kissed her on the head though his mask.

"Okay," said Scarlet as she strapped her little crossbow to her leg, "Tiger, show us the way."

They trekked through the dense forest for what seemed like hours and when Tiger suddenly stopped walking, Snake almost walked into her. "Something's different." She said in a hushed tone to Snake who immediately left the group to look around in the shadows.

"What's up kid?" asked Heavy Duty.

Tiger shook her head, "I don't know….but something doesn't feel right. The complex is right over that little embankment but something just doesn't feel right…it's too quiet."

Tiger was right, something wasn't right. They were surrounded and Tiger realized it a second too late when she heard and the felt a knife just miss her thigh; it sliced pretty deep though. Gritting her teeth she look up into the trees and saw a young man dressed in black, with a wicked smile on his face.

"Nice of you to come home Sky. Nice arms." He said as he swung himself down from the tree, followed by a good 15 others. Weaing a black tank top, she glared at him as he slowly walked towards her, "My name isn't Sky." With one hard glare at her, he leapt and narrowly missed her head with his foot. Tiger could always hold her own against Razer, but she was surprised to be having trouble right now. Where was Snake?

The Joes held their own. 6 of the assassins already lay dead on the ground, 3 others unconscious and tied up. Scarlet and Ripcord were taking care of the ones on the ground while Tiger and Duke had lured the others back towards the clearing where they landed. The trees provided too much cover. When they got to the clearing Tiger found out where Snake had gone.

He was there fighting with the Master of the Order. Why he was even there was beyond Tiger but she didn't care, she was scared. Duke patted her on the back, "Go! I've got these loser."

She nodded and ran towards Snake when he was pushed hard into the chopper, the cloak coming off it as he hit. Tiger skidded to a hault when the Master looked at her. "Well, well, look who decided to come home."

Anger that Tiger hadn't even known existed began to course through her veins and she bawled her hands into fists, "This is not my home. It never was and never will be." She gritted her teeth and ran at the man that was responsible for so many nightmares.

Everything happened very quickly after that. When she would look back on the fight later on, Tiger won't be able to remember most of it. The man was a good 100 pounds heavier than Tiger but her slightness was used to her advantage. The only thing that managed to slow her down were cuts that she seemed unable to avoid on her legs and stomach. She glanced at Snake more than once, but he had been hit so hard against the chopper that he was still out cold. She heard Duke and Heavy Duty behind her but had no idea if the others were alive any more. It was only when she imbedded her own dagger, one always concealed against her calf, into the Master chest did she take a step back. His eyes were full of hate and malice when he looked up at her, "You will pay." He managed to say before his heart stopped beating.

Tiger let out a breath, "I already have."

She was too busy trying to breathe that she didn't hear the arrow coming at her from a tree above. She was too busy to notice Snake running at her and pulling her out of the way. She wasn't too busy to scream when the arrow pierced Snake's armor and went deep into his chest.


	7. Chapter 7 FINAL

AN/: Well here it is! The FINAL chapter to this little story (: I had nothing except an Art History essay to work on and well...finish this for you guys won over the essay (: I hope you all enjoy it and let me know what you think! I had so much fun writing this story and am pretty proud of it (: Anyway, on with it!

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Tiger had been sitting beside Snake's bed in the infirmary for 4 days and everyone was beginning to worry that she hadn't slept at all.

When they had rushed back to HQ with Scarlet keeping Snake alive and Tiger loosing pints of blood from all of her laceration, Doc had his hands full for hours. Tiger had been kept in a medical sleep for 24 hours after all of her cuts were stitched up but once she woke up she hadn't left her chair that sat beside Snake's bed.

He could be sleeping. His chest, bare except for the bandages that circled his chest, rose and fell with his steady breathing. His blue eyes were hid behind lids that had begun to move around rapidly in the past few hours. It had brought hope into Tiger's chest that he would wake up soon but Doc had assured her that he was probably dreaming, his blood was too full of drugs for him to wake up yet.

But Tiger never stopped hoping.

"Sweety, please go and take a nap. You need to sleep and heal yourself too." Said Scarlet as she walked into the infirmary and stood on the other side of Snake, "I'll come and get you if he wakes up."

Tiger shook her head, not letting go of Snake's hand, "I'm not leaving."

Scarlet let out a sigh, "Then at least lay down on one of the beds in here."

Tiger again shook her head, still not letting her eyes waver from his sleeping face.

After letting out another exasperated sigh, Scarlet shook her head at Duke who stood in the doorway and walked out, leaving Tiger alone with Snake again.

Duke watched the young ninja for a little bit longer before sighing and leaving the room as well. He was worried about her and Snake Eyes. They all were, but nothing anyone said to her even seemed to registered in her brain. Her eyes just stayed locked on Snake.

As the sound of Duke's boots faded, Tiger sighed and finally let her shoulders sag as she looked at her best friend's sleeping face. The few bruises that had somehow landed on his neck and face were a deep purple and the small cut on his lower lip was swollen. At first, Tiger had tried to figure out how he had gotten so beaten and bruised up through his armor but then remembered the man he had been fighting was a good 100 pounds heavier and the few punches and kicks he landed must have hurt.

When she woke up from her forced sleep, she had sat up with a start and almost threw up when her head swam like an angry ocean. Her first thought had been of watching that arrow pierce Snake's chest. Tears had immediately formed in her eyes and only slightly subsided when Doc and Scarlet had told her that Snake was stable and would be okay after weeks of recovery time.

Whenever Doc left the room to get his lunch, or breakfast, or dinner, Tiger would let a tear or two fall down her cut cheek. She just couldn't stop her thoughts from wandering to all of the memories of her and Snake when they were kids, memories she didn't even remember they had shared. He had always been there for her, and after years of hating him for leaving her, she never realized that in the short time since she came to the Pitt, that she had fallen completely and totally in love with him. She had never felt this way before to anyone and when she watched that arrow pierce his armor, she could feel her own heart stop as if the arrow had hit her chest and not his.

She was terrified that he wouldn't wake up, even though Doc had said he would, that his body just needed time to heal his wounds more before he did. Tiger still worried. She needed Snake more than she ever had before and seeing him laying there so weak and unlike himself…it always made tears brim her eyes and her hands begin to shake. She couldn't lose him. Not now and not ever.

"Here kid, I brought you some food and it would please me very much if you would actually eat it." Said Doc as he placed a tray of fruit and chicken on the small table beside Snake's head.

Tiger nodded in Doc's direction and surprised him when she actually took a piece of the Honey Dew and stuck it into her mouth. He nodded his head as he walked towards hi office, "Eat the chicken too, you need the protein."

Tiger rolled her eyes at his retreating back. She always hated it when people told her what to do.

"Eat it"

Tiger jumped about a foot out of her chair and spun her head to look at Snake. She had taken her eyes off his sleeping face for no more than a minute and his gorgeous blue eyes smiled up at her. Her eyes immediately began to flood with tears and she reached her arms around his neck and hugged him. A bit too hard.

"Ugh, gentle." He said quietly through clenched teeth.

She jumped back, tears still falling down her cheeks, "Sorry! I didn't mean to…" His hand slowly touched her lips to quiet her and gave her a weak smile.

She kissed his fingers and wiped her eyes, "I've been worried."

His smile fell slightly, "You never have to worry that I'll leave you. I made a promise remember?"

She nodded silently, her voice again disappearing through a chocked up throat. He smiled and shocked her when he pushed himself up onto his pillows, his face grimacing in pain.

She quickly put her hands on his shoulders, "What are you doing, idiot? Stay down, you've been in a coma for 3 days!"

He chuckled, causing his face to grimace again, before touching her cheek, "I wanted to have a better angle."

She look at him confused until he pulled her face to him and placed a sweet and possessive kiss on her lips, holding her cheek gently but putting every emotion into the touch. As they broke apart, he smiled up at her and kissed her nose, "I love you, Arianna. I'll never leave you."

She smiled, tears falling down her cheeks again, "I love you too." And she did. Always had, but this love was something different. Something that she now knew she needed to survive and would die without it. He would never leave her willingly and that gave her new strength, knowing that he would be hers forever.

He smiled at her again before slowly leaning back into his pillow, "I think it's time for some more pain meds." He said with a slight chuckle in his voice.

She smiled and leaned away from him, "I'll get Doc." She said as walked around his bed, "Don't go anywhere." She winked at him as she walked away.

He smiled as he watched her walk backwards towards Doc's office, not wanting to take her eyes off of him again. "Never." He said quietly and she smiled before walked into Doc's office. Snake knew that no matter what ever happened to him, taking an arrow into his chest for the woman he loved was nothing. He would do it again with a smile on his face.

But the happiness inside him, knowing that he never had to leave her side again, was enough to make his chest not hurt any more.

THE END

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A/N: So there ya go (: Review please! (:


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